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wo modpli.) B2. P. HARRIS & A. STAG (2 sl leets -sheet 1.

) KILN DRYING PURPOSES. No. 349,091. Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

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B. P. HARRIS & A. STAGG KILN FOR DRYING PURPOSE$.

(No Model.)

No. 349,091. Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

I mzns. Phoio Liihogrlphtr, Wuhinflun. D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

BENJAMIN PRESTON HARRIS, OF SOUTHFLEET, AND ALFRED STAGG, OF

ll'lILlON," COUNTY OF KENT, ENGLAND.

KILN FOR DRYING PURPOSES.

, .SFECIPICATION forming part of LettersiPatent No. 349,091, dated September 14,1886.

Application filed July (I, 1685. Serial No. 170,807. (No model.) Patented in England September 8, 1984, No. 12,143.

To all whonvit may cmwe rn:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN PREsToN HARRIS, of Southfleet, near'Gravesend, in the county of Kent, England, farmer, and ALFRED In the drying of hops and other matters it is of great consequence that the same should be dried to a certain extent, and yet not overdried or burned; and in order to obtain the best results it is generally desirable to be able to control accurately the temperature of the chamber or kiln and of the heating means for heating the matters to be dried or the atmos-' phere passed into and between the matters treated. lVhen such heating iseffected by direct fire-heat, as is at present generally the case, such control is difficult, and the results obtained are not uniformly satisfactory.

The objects of our invention are to provide cffieient means for the drying of hops, fruit,

malt, wool, grain, seeds, roots, and other matters with ready control of the heating means, and to avoid danger of overheating or burning the matters under treatment. In the drying of hops, for instance, it is well known that a steady sufficient flow of warm dry air heated to somewhere about 100 Fahrenheit, is adapted to give the best results in quality and flavorior the purposes of brewing, while on the other hand the employment of too high a degree of temperature in the drying is highly detrimental to condition or quality in hops, and deteriorates their value and destroys their useful properties. Again, in the drying of grain and seeds, as well as other matters, it is essential to the preservation of their best qualities and value that a certain mean temperature be not much exceeded, and that such temperature be capable of steady maintenance throughout the drying operation. For this purpose we dispense with the employment of fire as the direct heating means for drying the hops or other matters, and we employ in lieu thereof the heat obtained iromsteam passing through pipes arranged in proximity to the and thereby we avoid all scorching, burning, or such-like damage, gain considerable weight in hops in each kiln-load, and obtain better the aromatic and other properties ofthe hops orother matters treated.

In carrying out our invention we employ a kiln or drying-floor with a suitable reticulate tance' below it, but in close proximity, a series of pipes supplied by a suitable steam boiler or heater, with supplemental shelves or brackets supported above the floor and extending kiln-floor with a series of reticulated trays or sievessay for hops-upon it. Fig. 3 shows a similar plan of a floor of a kiln of square section or ground plan. Figs. 4-, 5, and 6 show respectively, one of the sieves g.

a indicates the walls; I), a suitable door for ingress andegress and removal of goods.

reticulated trays or beams or girders (I, supported by the walls of the kiln a.

c are steam-pipes supplying steam from the steam-boilerc to the pipes c.

it may be'metal gratings in lieu thereof, to support a perforated zinc or other reticulate or open-work door, 0, 011 which are laid the sieves with the contained matters being treated.

c 0" are supplemental pipes conveying steam to and fro under the brackets or shelves 6* e supporting-floors on which the matters or the appropriate receptacles of those matters rest,

quality and uniformity of quality, retaining 6 .or open-work floor having located a short dis- 6 ,from the walls toward the interior of the kiln.

the line A A, Fig. 1, such an arrangement of separately by plan, side, and sectional view, 85.

c are a series of steam-pipes supported on 0 e are joists or supports for the battens f, or

supported on girders or supports 7'; and k I; are other supports for the series of heating steampipes c. c are also pipes of supply therefor.

Pipes for return or exhaust ends of the zigzag or series of steam-pipes are connected to a siphon or trap, to intercept the condensed water or return it to the boiler, as will be well understood.

If it be desired for some purposes steamheated pipes may be applied within the chamber, supplci'nentary of the series below the floors.

Fig. 3 shows by cross section a kiln of rectangular form a, the arrangement of the trays g on the floor c, a portion of that floor 0, a portion of the battens a portion of the heating-pipes c, a part of one of the beams (1, parts of joists e, and the position of the door I), also substantially as already described with respect to a circular kiln, excepting as regards adaptation to variety of form of kiln.

In operating upon the goods to be driedsnch as hops, for instanccwe place the hops in the wire or other open-work trays g, and we place these in series best adapted for filling the kiln flooror floors 0, the trays being of rectangular or other form to fit to each other and to the kiln sides a. By these means the hops may be readily transported into and from the kiln, avoiding any necessity for treading upon and consequently injuring the hops, as is now commonly the practice, if not the necessity, in passsing to and from the interior of the kiln u.

The dotted lines 13 (J respectively indicate the position which contiguous kilns may oecupy and be served by the same steam-boiler as the central kiln, branch pipes taking a supply of steam to each side kiln.

The series of pipes c, for conveyance of the steam under the floors c,may be substituted by series of chambers or hollow plates, ample airspaces between being left for passage of air.

Owing to the improved treatment which is afforded to hops especially by our process, we are enabled to dispense with sulphuring to a great extent; but where such process is desired to be resorted to and the sulphur-vapors introduced into and among the goods in the chamber, this may be produced by means of fire-heat from a small fire in a portable fireplace; or where a fire-place already exists, as in most old kilns, such may be utilized for the purpose, or the vapor be introduced in any convenient known manner. XV hen the natural draft of air through the kiln or chamber created by our heating means is insufficient, or is desired to be augmented, we use a fan or other suitable forcing means to force or draw air in below the floor c and up therethrough and past the steam-piping.

Driers having perforated floors and steampipes below said floors have been used before. Perforated trays, constituting in themselves the floors of the driers, have also been used; 5'

but, not so far as we are aware, have wirework sieves or reticulated traysin conjunction with other and independent perforated floors been used.

\Vhat we claim, therefore, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is

1. A kiln for drying hops, malt, wool, or other like materials, having a perforated floor, a series of open-work trays supported upon said floor for holding the material to be dried, and steam-pipes supported below said floor, substantially as shown and described.

2. A kiln for drying hops, malt, wool, or other materials, having a perforated floor. brackets or shelves e, supported above said floor and extending from the walls toward the interior of the kiln, and steam-pipes supported below said floor and brackets, all substantially as shown and described.

.l. A kiln for drying hops, malt, wool, or other like materials, having a perforated floor, brackets or shelves 0, supported above said door and extending from the walls toward the interior of the kiln, open-work trays support ed upon said floor, and brackets and steampipes supported below said floor and brackets, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of the subscribing witnesses.

BEN JAM l N IPRESION If A 'ltl't IS. ALFRED S'IAGG.

Wi tn esses:

HoRA'rI'o ARTHI'R ERI'LH DE Pixxa, JOHN ALFRED DONNISON. 

